Bennet Goldstein, a reporter at Wisconsin Watch and the Mississippi River Basin Ag and Water Desk, is leading a free 60-minute webinar for newsrooms in collaboration with the Solutions Journalism Network.
Description:
Climate change is a huge, multi-faceted story for every beat in the newsroom. So far, most coverage has focused on the problem itself. This reporting has helped audiences better understand that climate change is already happening and that its effects like heatwaves, droughts, and floods are hurting people. But the bad news is only part of the story. The good news is that climate change is solvable, and newsrooms are starting to broaden their reporting to make solutions a bigger part of the coverage.
Reporting on solutions doesn’t mean downplaying the dangers, sugar-coating the facts, or urging a particular outcome. It means telling the entire climate story and helping audiences and policymakers make informed choices about what to do going forward.
Consumers say they find solutions-focused stories more engaging than traditional problem-focused journalism, as well as more relevant to their own lives. This webinar focuses on how journalists can develop and frame stories in ways that motivate and inspire rather than scare and discourage.
Topics that will be addressed include:
- What solutions journalism is and isn’t
- How to know when telling a solutions story is appropriate
- The four elements of a solutions story
- Three kinds of climate change solutions stories
- Pointers for integrating solutions stories into a deadline-driven newsroom, especially smaller newsrooms
- Interviewing strategies
To register:
Please email bgoldstein@wisconsinwatch.org with the names and staff positions (reporter, editor, etc.) of those who will attend along with your publication’s name and location.
If you have any specific topics you would like addressed or ways Bennet can tailor the presentation to your newsroom’s needs, please include that in your email.
For additional information, feel free to call Bennet at 608-620-4650.
